Arrest warrants issued for parents who cheered high school graduates

[kpete]

The pomp and circumstance did not last long for some Mississippi families.

“He said ‘you did it baby’, waived his towel and went out the door,” Walker explained.

“When she went across the stage I just called her name out. ‘Lakaydra’. Just like that,” Ursula Miller said she shouted about her niece.

Miller and Henry Walker were two of the four people asked to leave Senatobia High School’s graduation ceremony for cheering.

Police at Northwest Mississippi Community College, where the high school ceremony was held, said the superintendent asked the crowd not to scream and to hold their applause until the end.

Otherwise, they would be asked to leave.

However, that wasn’t the end of it.

http://wreg.com/2015/06/02/warrants-issued-for-people-who-cheered-at-senatobia-graduation/

Two weeks later, the Superintendent of Schools, Jay Foster, in conjunction with the local police, filed charges against the families.
http://wreg.com/2015/06/02/warrants-issued-for-people-who-cheered-at-senatobia-graduation/

[bravenak]

1. I would love to send the superintendent a short angry message.

[marym625]

3. Sign my name to it too, please

[bravenak]

5. Damn!! I just sent it!

Don't worry. I called him racist like 20 times. Racist, loser, racist loser, bad at his job, etc. i feel better. If my cramps come back today, I'll do him again.

[marym625]

12. Awesome!

Have a great day! Thanks!

[bravenak]

16. You too.

[MosheFeingold]

54. Here you go

http://www.senatobiaschools.com/site/?page_id=529

Jay Foster
Superintendent

PH: 662-562-4897 Email: [e-mail]

Be nice and professional!

[bravenak]

56. Uh oh.

I sent like five mean ass ones already.
Mostly I just told him I want him fired and he's a racist.

[MosheFeingold]

63. Get more flies with honey

He looks like an equal-opportunity asshole to me, but you might be right re: racist. It is Mississippi, after all. Probably you are right, in fact.

But I am loathe to call any given asshole a racist just because they are assholes. Lots of people are just assholes.

Save "racist" for confirmed bigots or it turns into noise.

[bravenak]

69. He should know how he looks to people.

Some people don't know until you tell them. I bet when he reads the plethora of messages that he gets today, he'll find out how he is seen and change. Assholes have to be shamed into changing.
Swearing out warrant after the people left without a fight or drama is how I was able to id him into my category of Racist. Racist like to punish black people even after they have complied.

[MosheFeingold]

80. Not going to disagree

It certainly smells. I'm just old (as in I fought in WWII) and dealt with guys like this for 70 years, including getting a beat down in basic training for being a Jew.

I'll tell you what I've learned over 70 years of dealing with bigotry:

Calling a bigot out for being a bigot has been ineffective. Call someone a bigot and their wall goes up and they shut down. No communication. No change.

Gently calling out assholes (even if really bigots) for being assholes, however, works wonders.

A nice letter saying how unfair this guy was, how excited your family was b/c you were the first to graduate HS, etc., cuts to the quick and can soften most hardened heart.

It doesn't make you feel as good as popping off, but it actually effectuates change.

[bravenak]

82. I have never found gentle chiding to be effective either.

Perhaps you have. I've tried it myself, but it just seems to make them worse. Telling them straight up shocks their system, especially when they are privileged enough to not have that happen to them often. Swearing out warrant for arrest deserves more than gentle chiding. A thousand angry people calling for his job and telling him what he looks like will probably be more effective. He'll think twice next time.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

119. Change.org petition demanding Foster be fired:

https://www.change.org/p/senatobia-public-school-district-demand-the-immediate-resignation-or-termination-of-senatobia-ms-public-school-district-superintendent-jay-foster

Feel free to sign.

[bravenak]

134. Thank you!!

[Rhiannon12866]

150. Thank you! Signed and passed on!

p.s. Love your avatar...

[Hassin Bin Sober]

143. He might charge you with murder.

[bravenak]

145. No shit.

[marym625]

2. my god we are spiraling down the rabbit hole

So fast and furious that my head is spinning.

[questionseverything]

106. we really are

after reading this thread i am amazed at all the people going along with the NO APPLAUSE NO CHEERING mindset

they have tried this at my public hs and it has not gone over well...in fact after the principal announced the "rules",

"please hold your applause until the end" , he made a funny face and said "or not" which got a big laugh from the crowd

while it is a shame if someone could not hear their child's name....the announcer is on a microphone so i really do not buy that, i think it is rules just for the sake of rules, nothing more

of course the arrest thing is so fucking stupid the guy doing it should be put in a padded room so he doesnt hurt himself

[marym625]

155. I haven't looked through the thread yet.

Not since I replied. But I will

I don't think that the rule is a bad one. I think that there are two reasons for it. One is needless, really, but I understand. That's in the interest of time. The other is a great reason. To avoid kids that have no one to cheer for them be obvious.

However, I don't think it is worth kicking a family out if they break the rule. Not like they'll be doing it again anytime soon.

The pressing charges, insane. Just insane

[MrsMatt]

157. Just attended my daughter's H.S. graduation last night

where the request was made to hold applause until all graduates had crossed the stage.

Not only was it not followed, there were assholes using cowbells and air horns (the air horn drowned out the next announced name). It was very distracting, and I felt incredibly disrespectful to the students. I understand it is a very significant accomplishment, and people are excited about their family members reaching that milestone, but to act in such a way that impinges on the acknowledgment of others who perhaps are just as thrilled, but are more polite.

I believe asking people to use good manners (and removing those who do not) is perfectly appropriate. Arrest warrants, however, way way over the top.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

4. I'm all for asking them to leave but ARREST THEM?

Good grief!

[City Lights]

6. What law was broken?

This is fucked up to the max.

[MosheFeingold]

65. Disturbing the Peace n/t

[lostnfound]

7. Jeez, I don't think arrests will be made for the five groups that did this at MY kid's uppity school

Just last night. Annoying yes, arrest-worthy no.

200 kids graduating, 5 graduates got similar cheering

[Nye Bevan]

8. Arresting them seems a little harsh.

But really, how hard is it to follow a polite request to not yell and hold your applause until the end?

[bravenak]

10. Give it a rest.

[Nye Bevan]

11. You don't think it was a little harsh? (nt)

[bravenak]

15. I think you remarking on the cheering like it was wrong is stupid.

Cheering goes on a graduations. He needs to learn how to deal with it. When you frame it the way you did, you are making excuses for his racism.

[bravenak]

28. I know.

He is not fooling anybody.

[Comrade Grumpy]

38. C'mon, don't mince words.

[hamsterjill]

22. They should NOT have been arrested.

But they should have abided by the request not to cheer. Just because cheering goes on at graduations, that doesn't mean that it's excusable when the rules have been set at a particular event asking that people not cheer.

Bad behavior as minimal as this should not result in arrest, but it should still be called what it is. Bad behavior.

[bravenak]

26. They were asked to leave and left with no problem.

To go to the police and have them charged with public disturbance? Racist.
The consequence for cheering had already been met by being asked to leave. Had they stayed and yelled and got all dramafied, I might agree. But his response was 'I must have order.'
Order was restored by removing the cheerers. To have them arrested is fucking racist.

And I don't care what they 'should' have done. They were emotional and proud. It's hard enough to get our Black children to a Cap and Gown. We don't need to be judge for exuberance. Some black families rarely have a graduate. I'd scream too. Me and my sister were the first in our line to actually finish High School. People cheered. Nobody was asked to leave. The teachers and administrators had worked hard to get us there and were yelling and proud. Maybe my administrators were actual humans with empathy and intelligence. Fuck order. Celebrate the children.

[Comrade Grumpy]

41. What you said.

[hamsterjill]

46. Please do not make appropriate behavior at an event a racist issue.

I clearly stated that I do not think these people should have been arrested.

But please do not make the fact that people should be expected to behave in a certain manner at a distinguished event a racist issue. It is not. The arrest very well may be racist. The expectation of good behavior is not racist.

There are plenty of people whose children have had a hard time getting to that stage with a cap and gown. Certainly that includes some black families. But there are others, too, namely POOR children - of all colors whose parents may have been particularly proud.

When you accept an invitation to an event and that event has posted rules, it is inconsiderate to disobey the request to act in a certain way.

No, I will not "fuck order". There are times when order is important and necessary. Graduations are one of them so that each person crossing the stage can have his/her name heard without that name being drowned out by others cheering for another graduate.

Perhaps at your graduation there were no posted rules as to expected behavior, but at this event (the one the subject of the OP), there were.

Now again...the arrest of these individuals should not have happened. Asking them to leave (and them complying by leaving) was.

[kcr]

48. The fact they were arrested is the "racist issue" n/t

[hamsterjill]

57. Yes.

But the fact that they yelled when they were asked not to is bad behavior.

[BklnDem75]

77. It's the over the top reaction that makes it racist...

Having the black family removed from the ceremony wasn't enough, apparently. It's not the reaction that's being argued, it's the overreaction.

[hamsterjill]

89. I don't disagree.

In fact, I wholeheartedly agree. But it was still bad behavior on the part of the black attendees to yell.

One issue is completely separate from the other here.

Those attendees were asked to leave, they complied, and that should have been the end of it.

I can still be outraged over the arrest without having to believe that it was appropriate for those people to have yelled when they were specifically asked not to do that.

[jeff47]

96. Yet you didn't really express outrage at the arrest

Instead, you entered the thread to express outrage at the yelling.

Golly, what an odd thing to do if you're outraged at the arrest.

You aren't fooling anyone other than yourself.

[hamsterjill]

97. You don't know me; therefore, you don't know WHAT I'm doing.

I responded to a post that mentioned the bad behavior. That was the topic of that particular post. Excuse me if I didn't express the outrage to a degree that might satisfy someone such as yourself, but that's your problem, not mine.

Oh, and trust me, you're not fooling anyone either. It's becoming painfully obvious what some posters are trying to do on DU.

[jeff47]

99. You do realize we can see the thread too, right?

You entered the subthread by responding to a post saying the arrest was racist. Your post was literally claiming the arrest was not about race.

And now you're trying to say you were only talking about the bad behavior. Despite responding to a post about the arrest.

In other words, your claims are irrational. But they definitely do try to show yourself in a better light. Heck, now you're claiming to be oppressed by people reading what you actually wrote.

[hamsterjill]

125. I want you to stop what you are doing.

You don't believe that I've shown the amount of outrage that YOU deem appropriate.

You are implying that because I didn't show the amount of outrage that YOU deem appropriate that I am in some way racist or approving of racist behavior.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I do not accept your labeling of me.

Bad behavior at large events is something that a lot of people engage in at times. That doesn't make it right. I have repeatedly said that I don't believe these people should have been arrested for what happened. But I also believe their behavior was not appropriate since the venue that was hosting the event had requested that people not cheer. When you are invited to an event, you accept the terms of that invitation and should abide by the host's requests. That part is simple.

For these people to have been arrested for cheering is outrageous. But no amount of emphasis on that is going to make YOU happy because you have already decided that my degree of outrage doesn't meet your standards.

Well, buddy, you don't get to set the standards.

It's rude and insensitive not to think of ALL of the graduates crossing the stage and giving the same amount of respect to each one (i.e., allowing each name to be heard).

Stop twisting this simple concept into an attempt by YOU to try to make me appear racist.

I will not be replying to any further of your posts. You and I are so far removed from one another that we certainly have nothing to gain by continuing this discussion.

[quickesst]

110. roll eyes moment there...

The poster did not express one iota of outrage claimed. You can't call a duck a chicken and expect anyone to take it seriously. The opinion expressed was actually one of the most logical, even-handed things I've read here.

[bravenak]

50. 500 dollar fines or go to jail for yelling your kids name?

Amazing how I rarely see such steep penalties in white schools for the same thing. It most certainly is a damn race issue. It shows how black peopke are treated differently and overly punished when they don't conform to the standards of white society and submit and obey. They same folks who call these parent out for cheering get all first amendment over things that they care about.
It is a race issue because we don't see black administrators swearing out warrant on white parents for cheering. That shit only goes one way, and segments white society get seriously myopic and constantly judges the behaivior of black people. From on high.

[hamsterjill]

55. I grow weary.

Of trying to make my point to you.

I hope you have a nice, peaceful day. I'll be placing you on ignore at this point.

[bravenak]

58. You don't have to tell people you are placing them on ignore.

Especially when they never say things to you unprompted. Have a nice day.

[roody]

109. Uptight white people don't like noise. I know; I am one.

[hamsterjill]

114. I believe it's simple courtesy to allow each graduates name to be heard.

At the end of the ceremony, when all graduates have crossed the stage, I have no problem with a lot of cheering, clapping, whatever. Depends on the rules that have been established by the venue hosting the graduation.

I don't think it makes someone "uptight", whether they be white or otherwise, to follow the rules.

[uppityperson]

138. Arresting them after evicting them for cheering is excessive. nt

[SamKnause]

53. Ditto x 1000000000000000

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

132. Of course, they shouldn't have been arrested.

Some dick decided that rudeness and incivility is now a crime.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

124. Then you can't hear the next name called.

What about that student's parents who wish to hear their child's name called?

It's selfish and rude to cheer when there are hundreds of graduates and don't have time to stop and wait for the applause and yelling after each name is called.

Some people are so selfish it doesn't even dawn on them why such rules of etiquette exists.

[bravenak]

133. If you see the video, one lady said the name.

One guy said, way to go baby girl. They left immediately. There are schedules with the kids names and speakers and a mic. No need to have them arrested 2 weeks later.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

135. Never said they should have been arrested.

Rudeness and incivility are not crimes, and I think their arrests are appalling.

[bravenak]

136. Well, the rudeness had been dealt with by removing them.

This thread was kinda about them being arrested 2 weeks later. The guy said he did not think having had them removed was punishment enough, so he got their names, tracked them down, and swore out warrants. Had he not been so vindictiveV we would not even be discussing this.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

137. I have to agree with that.

[bravenak]

139. Great!!

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

146. Back at ya'!

[morningfog]

19. Nye, your prejudice is showing again.

[HERVEPA]

29. All the time fog, all the time.

[morningfog]

36. It's embarassing that it is permitted here.

[Nye Bevan]

149. What is "permitted here" is determined by juries enforcing the community standards.

And I think, in general, juries do a great job.

[dumbcat]

42. Everybody knows black people don't

follow rules.

[Starry Messenger]

45. Oh, a little?

It's totally asinine. I have never heard of this policy--the graduation is for families and graduates, not for the school administration.

[LanternWaste]

68. They were asked to leave after they applauded. They did.

They were asked to leave after they applauded. They did.

But really, how hard is it to not arrest them unless they break a law?
(Let's all advertise our biases on this one...)

[Nye Bevan]

71. Ummmm...... that's why I used the word "harsh" (nt)

[uppityperson]

140. You also used the words "a little". nt

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

147. Right now I'm thinking of the word "troll"....... nt

[MineralMan]

83. Oh, for pete's sake! It's not "a little harsh."

It's completely unacceptable. This happens at every graduation, regardless of requests to hold applause.

For some families, the graduation of their child is extraordinarily exciting. Let them shout out to the graduate.

Arrests? Really? What are you thinking?

[mercuryblues]

104. My daughter

had a class of well over 300. She worked just as hard as the person in front of her to graduate with a 4.2 GPA. Only I did not hear her name called, because of the cheering. Why was the person in front of her more important or prouder than my kid or I?
Because of the size of the class there was no pause if people disobeyed the no cheering rule.

My nephew just graduated high school. He worked hard to graduate on time because he transferred into the district midway through his junior year and class courses were scheduled differently and some of his credits didn't transfer. He not only graduated on time, but he graduated with honors. Thankfully the person in front of him did not have cheers.

Cheering like that is incredibly rude, not arrest worthy rude. But pretty freaking rude.

Making them leave isn't really a consequence, since they already saw the person they wanted to get their diploma. As a matter of fact being asked to leave is nothing more than a bonus. They don't have to sit through the rest of the names being called.

[MineralMan]

105. Did you see her get her diploma?

I haven't been to any high school graduations that weren't interrupted by cheers for individual students. For some, simply graduating from high school is a major life achievement. I can't blame parents and family of such students for cheering.

[mercuryblues]

113. actually

no. Luckily my husband did and I have a picture. I saw her in the sense that a kid in a blue cap and gown got her diploma. I realized it was her as she was walking off the stage. Cheering is beyond rude to the person who comes behind you. They get denied the same joy because they think they are more special than the next person in line. Guess what? Little Johnny buttercup is not more special than my kid. My kid is not more special than the kid behind her. I did not cheer so their family could hear their name and know it was their kid walking across the stage.

I think withholding the diploma is a better consequence.

[Nye Bevan]

148. Yep. The jerks who feel the rules don't apply to them ruin it for everyone else (nt)

[uppityperson]

141. No, it is a lot harsh. They were asked to leave and left. To then charge them is WAY harsh.

Over the top. Excessive.

NOT "a little" harsh.

"But really, how hard is it to follow a polite request to not yell and hold your applause until the end?"

Seriously?

[Initech]

9. WTF is wrong with this country??

[dhill926]

13. might lead to an uprising on the plantation you know....

I mean what in the holy hell is going on there. Racist pos.....

[bullwinkle428]

14. I swear, there are some people out there looking for ANY excuse to lock

up black people in a cage!

I'm a 51-year-old white guy. When I graduated from high school in 1982 in a class of about 400 students, someone had made the same request regarding holding off on cheers and applause until the last graduate had been called up to receive their diploma. Predictably, very few heeded this request. Oh BTW, this was a predominatly white high school, so no arrests were made at the end of the ceremony.

[Snobblevitch]

17. The superintendent is way off base.

Why doesn't the superintendent understand that the people who broke the rules are more proud of their kids than all of the others in attendence who followed the rules? Why doesn't the superintendent realize that those kids who had a cheering section worked harder to get their high school diploma than did all of the other students?

[Nye Bevan]

18. What?

Last edited Wed Jun 3, 2015, 12:18 PM - Edit history (1)

Those parents who politely follow the request to hold their applause to the end are not as proud of their kids as those who rudely ignore the request?

[morningfog]

21. You wouldn't understand. Or would refuse to.

But the answer to your ignorant question is yes.

[frylock]

23. you should really let this go..

really.

[Nye Bevan]

34. Thanks for the suggestion.

I appreciate it.

[frylock]

35. my pleasure

[Snobblevitch]

30. Of course those parents who did not inturrupt

the graduation ceremonies to applaud their children are not as proud of them as those who cheered for their kids as they received their high school diplomas

[Tipperary]

86. Your post really makes very little sense.

Maybe you're being sarcastic?

[Snobblevitch]

87. Maybe...

[StevieM]

159. Some of us just hate the sarcasm icon. To me it just defeats the whole purpose of being sarcastic.

But yes, the post did appear to be sarcastic.

[Logical]

25. So you want to have everyone cheer and take twice as long? Nt

[frylock]

37. speaking for myself, I'd like to see the police and courts deal with actual crime..

authoritarian types obviously have a different take.

[Logical]

51. The arrest was idiotic, the graduation rules were not. Nt

[frylock]

67. agreed

[hunter]

108. I think the rules were idiotic too.

I say this having recently attended a very noisy graduation of a little less than 600 kids.

People were quiet and polite for the speakers, both English and Spanish as is the custom here, but reading names is reading names.

If you can't hear your kid's name when they take the stage, maybe you are not yelling it loud enough!

[tammywammy]

47. Every graduation I've been to, they kept saying the names while cheering and clapping went on.

I take that back at a medical school graduation there was a pause between each students and also at my graduate school for the ph.D students. But then being hooded takes longer than just a name call and walk across the stage.

For everyone else it was a name called about every 3 seconds and a constant parade across the stage. The applause and cheering didn't slow it down.

[Logical]

52. And many people then dont hear the names, which is the whole point. nt

[tammywammy]

59. Aren't they provided with a program listing the students?

Seems much ado over nothing. I say this as someone that participated in my masters graduation a few weeks ago. He even pronounced my name wrong and I had the phonetic spelling listed.

There should definitely be bans on noise makers, but I don't personally think that cheering is too much. When I've attended others graduations no one complained about the other people that cheered.

[LanternWaste]

70. One can only imagine the horrors, the depredations, and the sins against mankind that would result

"everyone cheer and take twice as long..

One can only imagine the horrors, the depredations, and the sins against mankind that would result from everyone cheering and a graduation taking longer. They can have my complacent convenience when the pry it from my cold dead, lazy hands...

[Nye Bevan]

73. The last one I was at, old people were fainting from the heat and being carried out.

Lots of grandparents there at a long, hot ceremony. Is it really so important for people not to follow a polite request to hold their applause until the end that it's worth prolonging an already overly long ceremony?

[Snobblevitch]

88. I was at a graduation ceremony a few years ago

and a man in his 80s collapsed to the floor. We knew it was serious when an announcement was made telling everyone to leave the gymnasiam. It turned out the man had a heart attack. Fortunately for him, it was a graduating class for 300 RNs so there were a lot of experienced medical people there. Unfortunately for the man, he was apparently dead before he hit the floor.

[tabasco]

120. Bwaaaahahahahahaha.

What a load.

Now cheering at graduation is a public safety issue.

Get a fucking grip. Or a life.

[Logical]

91. Hey its my stalker! And repeated subject line guy! Nt

[Phentex]

116. I don't and I find it rude...

if people who insist upon cheering could keep the clapping/shouting short enough to hear the next name, then fine. Otherwise it's just rude. And it DOES drag the damn thing out. Which is why most of the time an announcement is made asking people to hold their applause. They aren't asking just to be mean. They are asking because people are selfish and can't do this without being reminded.

[dumbcat]

142. Three times as long would be even better

Savor the moment.

[Fumesucker]

27. <snort>

Welcome to DU, you should fit right in here.

[Snobblevitch]

32. Thank you for the welcome.

I was a lurker for quite a while before finally registering and participating.

Hopefully, I know the routine and won't annoy too many other DUers (as I typed that, at first it came out FUers. It could have been my first hidden post, because of a typo).

[peecoolyour]

24. What kind of prick doesn't allow parents to cheer at a graduation ceremony?

Every single graduation ceremony I've been to had people clapping and cheering after every name called.

[tammywammy]

31. The only rules I've ever seen are no noise makers/bullhorns.

By all three of my graduation (high school, undergrad and grad) has plenty of cheering and yelling - including from students to students.

[Romeo.lima333]

39. the kind that doesnt want a 1hour ceremony turned into a 3 hour ceremony

and the all the pricks in the audience who dont want a 1 hour ceremony turned into a 3hour ceremony.

[peecoolyour]

40. Oh, the petty kind. Thanks for clarifying. nt

[Romeo.lima333]

43. petty- lol. it doesnt bother YOU so therefore it's petty. i didnt realize you were the deciderer

of what's petty.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

93. Arrest warrants for verbal celebrations are the definition of petty.

[Romeo.lima333]

94. that may be but that isnt what that poster and were saying

[tammywammy]

49. The only time I've seen a gradation pause between the graduates

Was medical school and a doctorate candidate, but those graduates are getting hooded which takes time. All the graduations I've attended allowed cheering and applause, they didn't slow down the procession, names were just continually called every 2-3 seconds.

Allowing cheering and applause doesn't slow down a graduation ceremony.

[Romeo.lima333]

76. as one who witnessed it dont tell me it doesnt

[LanternWaste]

72. When our complacent convenience is interrupted, irrational consequences are often justified

When our complacent convenience is interrupted, irrational consequences are often justified. One can only imagine the depths of horror inflicted by an additional 90 minutes at a graduation service.

[Romeo.lima333]

79. it's not up to you to decide for others what is convenient.d as one wh sits through these things

i would rather everyone keep quite so i can get out in 1 hour instead of 3

[Tommy_Carcetti]

100. A starving kid in Haiti just shed a single tear for you.

You had to spend a little longer at graduation than you desired.

Oh woe is you.

[Romeo.lima333]

101. wow what a dopey thing to say - and so mature too thanks

[Tommy_Carcetti]

103. Well, I for one would like to thank you for the high level of rhetoric and discussion you bring here

Thank you, Good Sir/Madam.

Thank you most deeply.

[Romeo.lima333]

153. says the person whose only contribution to this little conversation was snark

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

131. No way you can "graduate" 700+ students in an hour

It's more like we don't want a 3 hour ceremony turning into a 5 hour ceremony. sigh

[Xithras]

60. At my HS graduation, clapping was permitted but not cheering.

Prior to the ceremony, people were warned that the ushers would escort them out if they cheered. The problem with cheering, when you have large classes, is that the awarding of the diplomas happens fairly quickly. When they're handing out diplomas to 500 kids, they don't have time to pause every time one of the kids has a cheering section. One group screaming like crazy for their graduating kid can prevent another family from even hearing their kids name called.

There was a a bit of controversy about this when I was in HS because the policy was that, if you REFUSED to leave, you'd be given a lifetime ban. Apparently some father started cheering like crazy at one graduation and got aggressive when the ushers asked him to leave. The ushers left so as not to make the scene worse, but called the police. The guy was corralled by the police, identified on his way out, and was told that he was no longer allowed to attend functions at that school. Two years later, when his daughter graduated, he was stopped at the entrance to the building and wasn't allowed in.

This sort of thing is fairly common, even today.

[hunter]

111. Then don't pause the name reading. Easy.

[City Lights]

64. My kids' high school graduations.

Each of their classes had over 1100 kids graduating. Some people cheered anyway, but there was announcement made asking that spectators hold their applause until the end.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

130. Did the graduating class have 700+ students?

Do you know how long you're going to have to sit there if you have to wait for the cheering and applause to stop before the next name is called?

Does anyone really want to sit through a five-hour graduation?

Our school district rents a large public facility in order to accommodate everyone's guests, and three or four high schools will use the same facility one after another. First class will graduate at 10:00 in the morning, and things have to run smoothly in order to get everyone in and out.

[cbdo2007]

33. Wow, that seems a little extreme, but some of these families are out of control at graduations.

I've been to three graduations this year....two were ok, but the third one was out of control with the families yelling, throwing confetti, interrupting the rest of the ceremony. One family kept cheering for their graduate through the next 3 names so you couldn't even hear them say their names.

I don't think people should be arrested, but I do wish more people would be respectful.

[Ex Lurker]

44. Yeah, manners and courtesy are not evident at graduations

There's the cheering. Not just cheering, but whooping and hollering that goes on for minutes, after the person they're cheering for has left the stage. Then there are the people coming in late, getting up and leaving as soon as their graduate walks across the stage, etc. It's disruptive and makes for an unpleasant experience. The reaction in this case was over the top, but honestly, I understand the frustration.

[Phentex]

117. We just had a dad griping and complaining loudly because...

the ceremony started on time! He is notoriously late for everything and we wondered if he planned to show up on time to see his son graduate. Nope! And then he moaned about it as he climbed over people to get a seat.

[dem in texas]

61. Cheering at graduations is out of control

I saw this at my grandson's graduation from High school. It totally disrespects the other students who are in the act of crossing the stage to get their diplomas. It is thoughtless and just plain bad manners!

We are going to see our youngest grandchild get her high school diploma next week, will be curious to see if the audience is better behaved.

[Nye Bevan]

74. According to some here, if you do not yell and whoop it means you are not as proud

of your graduate as those who respect the request to hold their applause.

[WDIM]

62. "For your information, the Supreme Court has roundly rejected prior restraint!"

"This affects all of us, man! Our basic freedoms!"

Let people cheer their kids get off your high horse.

[eppur_se_muova]

66. I've been to a college graduation where Chinese parents celebrated in the traditional way ...

by lighting strings of firecrackers.

[Prism]

75. I hope a civil suit is an option

I get the rules about graduation. Some families are out of control and ruin other students' special moments by cheering over them in favor of their own kid. It's obnoxious.

But 1) We don't know that the cheering here was particularly excessive, and 2) even if it was, a warrant and a court appearance?

Sometimes school administrators think they're actually the Law. Someone needs to slap this little Bonaparte down about five notches.

[hughee99]

78. Next year they should just hire snipers for the event. n/t

[KamaAina]

81. So I guess no white families were cheering

[Romeo.lima333]

95. another parity for parity's sake

[Bluenorthwest]

84. Mississippi.

Goddamn.

[cwydro]

85. This was all over

my local talk radio here today.

[croiduire]

90. Has anyone posted

a full video of the graduation? I would like to know if any other families violated that edict, and if so, what consequences they faced. The small segment that's being aired was neither rude nor excessive; a name, a short sentence, nothing that would detract from the next graduate in line unless the administrators were so incredibly rude and disrespectful that they were rattling off names like they were auctioneers and the grads were marching across the stage like a trail of ants.

[Rhiannon12866]

151. That is an excellent question!

Seems unlikely that these family members were the only ones to be both excited and proud. Welcome to DU!

[olddots]

92. as Nina Simone once sang

Mississippi God Damn

[Tommy_Carcetti]

98. I read that article waiting for the catch.

Such as the individuals who cheered during the graduation assaulted the individuals who asked them to leave, and they were being charged with assault.

Sadly, I didn't find any catch. They actually want to arrest people for cheering at a graduation.

Un-fucking-believable.

[chillfactor]

102. when I graduated with my master's degree...

my son yelled out "Way to go grandma!" I will treasure that moment for the rest of my life

btw I was a grandma..I had 8 grandchildren at the time

[Taitertots]

107. I snuck a zuzuzela into my sisters college graduation

But I'm white so no one called the cops.

[Buns_of_Fire]

118. You mean a vuvuzela?

(I can see why that might be a hanging offense. )

[Taitertots]

123. Yeah. This was pre-2010 so we just called it a horn

And it was at an indoor auditorium.

[Buns_of_Fire]

126. INDOORS??? (Get the rope...)

Good thing this was pre-2010, before American authorities started their slide towards the dickish end of the spectrum!

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

144. God almighty, those things are awful

Total ruination of a good soccer match.

[Jefferson23]

112. See that, punitive measures and for what? They were happy and they cheered..fucking nuts

is where this is at in the US...disgusting bigots.

[BklnDem75]

115. Instead of letting it go after tossing the family...

This jerk waits 2 weeks to be an even bigger ass. Yet, people are hung up on this whole 'rules' thing. So much for 'But I will defend to the death your right to say it.'

[Gormy Cuss]

128. ^^^This^^^n/t

[dembotoz]

121. With my youngest-he graduated by so slender a margin. I wanted to run up and down the aisles

Screaming.
And I might have except for the fact the seating was such I would have fallen and broke my neck

[Solly Mack]

122. Jay Foster must be running for head asshole.

[abelenkpe]

127. Graduating college on the east coast

Was a stuffy affair where no one cheered as we received our diplomas. Graduating graduate school on the west coast was no stop cheering. I prefer the cheering. Seriously crazy story

[underthematrix]

129. LOL! the Facebook page for

Senatobia Municipal School District is temporarily unavailable https://www.facebook.com/pages/Senatobia-Municipal-School-District/146111422084270 Sup JAY FOSTER's twitter handle @senatobiak12 - please tweet him your concerns. I've already done so.

[romanic]

152. Ridiculous

Yes the family should've followed the rules and kept quiet out of respect for the other grads. But the jackass superintendent didn't have to file charges. That's extreme and unnecessary use of police resources. I hope the charges are dropped.

[CBGLuthier]

154. Black folk cheer their kids they get arrested. White folk cover up child molesting by and of their

kids and they get a TV show.

Not much fucking progress in the US of A.

[NCTraveler]

156. My cousin graduated from a private catholic school.......

with just over 500 people in the whole school. A grand total of six AA's, my cousin being the only AA in the senior class. Neither of her parents completed high school. Her parents were proudly a part of many social events for the school and often went to school meetings. At graduation my cousin had one of the largest groups of family and friends out of anyone. It was electric for us. They had the same rule about cheering. When my cousin walked across the stage, every family member went crazy cheering, along with a large portion of the other families there. They had gotten to know her and her parents over the years. So many understood this was bigger than the event itself. I'm sure that a number of people had an issue with it but they kept that to themselves. It was magic. Was my cousin treated different with respect to the rules. Hell yeah. As she should have been. It was respected. I don't know the story of the people in this article. I do know they are proud of their son and any arrest is strictly based in racism. These things happen thousands and thousands of times a year by graduating parents. They do not get arrested.

[croiduire]

158. The four people charged are expected in court Monday, June 9.

I hope this thread will remain open until then, and that someone will post an update. Latest news is that the Superintendent is doubling down and has every intention of persecuting prosecuting the four families.